NOKOMIS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rainbow Coral Corp. (RBCC) subsidiary Rainbow BioSciences will keep a close eye on a new study that could potentially lead to stem cell therapies for children with autism. Researchers have been given the go-ahead by the FDA to launch a small study evaluating the effectiveness of autism treatments using patients own umbilical cord blood. Thirty children, aged two to seven, will receive injections of their own stem cells from the cord blood banked by their parents at birth. Scientists will evaluate whether the stem cell therapy helps improve language and behavior in the children. Although the cause of autism is unknown and there is no cure for the disorder, one theory suggests that autism occurs because cell in the brain, known as neurons, are not connecting normally. Its possible that stem cells may address this problem. RBCC is working to capitalize on the rising demand for effective new stem cell treatments by bringing a potentially game-changing stem cell technology to market. The company is close to a deal with Regenetech to acquire a license to perform cell expansion using that companys Rotary Cell Culture SystemTM, a rotating-wall bioreactor originally developed by NASA. The rotating-wall bioreactor is capable … Continue reading →

Public release date: 15-Oct-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Karen Robinson karobinson@som.umaryland.edu 410-706-7590 University of Maryland Medical Center A new method of using adult stem cells as a model for the hereditary condition Gaucher disease could help accelerate the discovery of new, more effective therapies for this and other conditions such as Parkinson's, according to new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine reprogrammed stem cells to develop into cells that are genetically similar to and react to drugs in a similar way as cells from patients with Gaucher disease. The stem cells will allow the scientists to test potential new therapies in a dish, accelerating the process toward drug discovery, according to the paper published online in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on Oct. 15 (Panicker et.al.). The study was funded with $1.7 million in grants from the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund; researchers received a start-up grant for $200,000 in 2007 and a larger, five-year grant for $1.5 million in 2009. "We have created a model for all three types of Gaucher disease, and used stem cell-based tests to … Continue reading →

09-10-2012 05:40 I met with an accident in 1997.I suffered a spinal cord injury in that accident.3 months go I took stem cell therapy at these 3 months I feel I have improved a lot more than before. My legs feel loose. My back also feels free. While walking my legs used to crossover each other, that has now reduced. All the muscles of my legs were very tight before now it has reduced.Climbing up and down the stairs is also easier than earlier. I can also move my toes know. Earlier while walking my legs used to cross over each other, now that has reduced and I can walk much better. From lying down I can get up much easily and I can do it on my own now.Earlier I used to do bed rolling as an exercise which is much easier now.I get up from bed very easily now, back seems less tight and I can do the movements freely.I can roll, turn and crawl in the bed freely, than before.I can now shift forward and backward in the bed easily and on my own. Earlier while standing and walking the heel of my foot used to lift … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (Oct. 15, 2012) New animal studies provide additional support for investigating stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, head trauma, and dangerous heart problems that accompany spinal cord injury, according to research findings released today. The work, presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health, shows scientists making progress toward using stem cell therapies to repair neurological damage. The studies focused on using stem cells to produce neurons -- essential, message-carrying cells in the brain and spinal cord. The loss of neurons and the connections they make for controlling critical bodily functions are the chief hallmarks of brain and spinal cord injuries and of neurodegenerative afflictions such as Parkinson's disease and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Today's new findings show that: Other recent findings discussed show that: "As the fields of developmental and regenerative neuroscience mature, important progress is being made to begin to translate the promise of stem cell therapy into meaningful treatments for a range of well-defined neurological problems," said press conference moderator Jeffrey Macklis, MD, of Harvard University and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an … Continue reading →

Chloe Wilson, from Forrester, Edinburgh, was born with septo-optic dysplasia a rare condition which means her pituitary gland has not developed properly. As a result, the 19-month-old's optic nerve is underdeveloped, leaving her with hormone deficiencies and very little vision. Her parents, Kayleigh and Scott Wilson, both 22, started a campaign in April to raise 15,000 to take her to the Chinese city of Guangzhou to undergo a controversial stem-cell treatment not available in the UK. But thanks to the efforts of many other fundraisers and donors, some of whom have never even met the family, the total raised now stands at nearly 25,000. The total means the young family can afford far more stem- cells, vastly increasing the chance of success. Mrs Wilson, a nursery assistant, said: "I thought we were looking at a year-and-a-half before we hit our target. Now we've gone nearly ten grand over it in less than half that time. "We just want to thank everyone who has helped give us this chance. People have been amazing,. Their generosity will stay with us forever, and we'll make sure Chloe knows all about it when she is older." Contextual targeting label: Originally posted here: Chinese bid … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (Oct. 15, 2012) A new method of using adult stem cells as a model for the hereditary condition Gaucher disease could help accelerate the discovery of new, more effective therapies for this and other conditions such as Parkinson's, according to new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine reprogrammed stem cells to develop into cells that are genetically similar to and react to drugs in a similar way as cells from patients with Gaucher disease. The stem cells will allow the scientists to test potential new therapies in a dish, accelerating the process toward drug discovery, according to the paper published online in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on Oct. 15. "We have created a model for all three types of Gaucher disease, and used stem cell-based tests to evaluate the effectiveness of therapies," says senior author Ricardo Feldman, Ph.D., associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and a research scientist at the University of Maryland Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. "We are confident that this will allow us to test more … Continue reading →